Talking Style: Why I Don’t Really Like Playing the Song “Kiss”

It’s no secret at this point that Prince is, has been and always will be my favorite “B.A.S.E.” player – him and just about anyone who had the salt to hold the chair in his band. Yes, I’ve got my preferences out of that bunch as well, but we’ll rap about that later!

In this episode I’m going show you why I don’t always like playing the song “Kiss,” and why I do – when I really do! I’ll show you some of my favorite bass lines from his live arrangements from the late 90’s to 2010.

Here’s an excerpt from a Bass Player Magazine interview with Prince in December 1999:

BP: So bass can work against a song then?

Prince: “Not necessarily. ‘When Doves Cry’ does have bass in it — the bass is in the kick drum. It’s the same with ‘Kiss’ [Parade]: The bass is in the tone of the reverb on the kick. Bass is a lot more than that instrument over there. Bass to me means B-A-S-E. B-A-S-S is a fish.”

Notable Tracks:

Watch the videos below:

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction (Rhonda Smith)

2010 Concert (Josh Dunham). Towards the end, but the whole show is worth watching. Trust me!

Ted Gould III, also known as “Blyss”, is a bassist and music educator originally from New Orleans now based in the Bay Area. Connect with him at sonofabass.com and check out his new Slap Bass course.

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